1. Technical Field
The technology of this disclosure pertains generally to regenerative braking systems, and more particularly to regenerative braking that stores power in a combination of a flywheel and batteries.
2. Background Discussion
During the past century, the automobile has been one of the crowning achievements of mechanical engineering and a driving force in global development. Although the automobile has become an undoubted success, its growth in usage has engendered serious concerns over its relationship to and interaction with climate change and oil dependency, both serious sources of societal instability. Any further automotive developments have to include energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as key performance goals.
Even if both the automotive industry and government embrace the societal imperative for energy efficient automobiles, the successful implementation of any new technologies will be critically dependent on mainstream consumer acceptance. A case in point is the number of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) offered or promised to be offered by nearly every automaker today. Although these technologies offer a cleaner and more energy efficient alternative to traditional petroleum-fueled vehicles, mainstream consumer acceptance of these technologies is stymied by considerations of their premium price, limited travel range, and extended charging times, all consequences of current battery technologies.
Accordingly, a need exists for vehicle power management systems which provide increased efficiencies at a low price point. The present disclosure provides these improvements along with additional benefits.